Away From Here
by maybeweare
Summary: Regina Mills has big plans for her future, none of which include falling in love with Emma Swan. But when the two come together, the powerful connection between them proves enough to transcend realms and return them to the magical land of their birth. AU, teen SQ.
1. Chapter 1

**Notes on the AU: Cora's declaration at Regina's birth that Regina would one day be queen didn't sit so well with the royal family, considering they were all still irritated that Cora had managed to marry her way into their ranks. For safety, Cora, Henry, and Regina were forced to get away by portal. They ended up in our world, and have remained there ever since. Regina has no idea where she's from.**

**There's no curse, since Regina wasn't there to cast it, but due to threats on baby Emma's life Snow and Charming reluctantly sent her through the wardrobe, planning to retrieve her once the danger was past. They were unable to get her back. We all know her story from there.**

**Loosely inspired by kid day of Swan Queen Week. There will be magical mishaps in the future.**

* * *

It was here. It was finally here.

Regina set her bookbag and the rest of the mail on the stoop, tucking the plaid skirt of her school uniform under her before she sat down. She stared down at the big envelope with her name on it, willing it to contain good news. It was several minutes before she could bring herself to open it.

_Dear Regina Mills,_

_Congratulations!_

That was as far as she got. She leapt to her feet, grabbed her things and ran in the front door, dropping everything but the letter as she ran to embrace her father. "I got in!" she cried, clasping her hands together as he read the letter with a proud smile.

"I had no doubt you would, Regina," he said. "They'd be fools not to take you."

"But still, _Columbia_, Daddy!" She took the letter back, but in her excitement the text seemed to swim before her eyes. "I get to go to an Ivy, I get to go to New York."

"What is all this racket?" Regina's smile faded at the sound of her mother's voice. She instinctively straightened her posture and ran a hand over her hair to make sure it was neat. Cora came down the stairs slowly, regally, eyeing Regina's bag and the scattered mail on the floor disdainfully.

Henry was generally quiet around his wife, more often than not silent, but he couldn't hold back his pride in his daughter. "Regina got accepted to Columbia."

Cora pursed her lips and Regina immediately tensed even farther, immediately giving over the letter when her mother held her hand out for it. She watched in silence as Cora scanned the letter. "I didn't know you'd applied there," she said softly as if hurt, not looking up at Regina.

"It's a very good school," Henry said, but Cora cut him off with a single glare.

"New York City?" She shook her head, folding the letter back up. "That won't do. I thought we had an agreement, Regina. I'm only going to allow this foolish little plan of yours if you live at home."

Regina had tried to stick to those rules, she really had. But her guidance counselor had pushed and pushed for her to apply somewhere more challenging, and Regina had been unable to resist. She was sure she wouldn't get in, but the hope had grown unbidden as she waited for a response.

"College isn't foolish, Mother," she said. Normally she wouldn't talk back, but for the first time in her life there was something she really, truly wanted. "It's an amazing opportunity. I know it's far, but you can trust me, I promise. I'll be good. I'll spend all my time studying, even more than I do now."

"That's what I'm afraid of," Cora replied. "Studying makes you look so tired, dear. Why else hasn't anyone asked you to prom?"

Regina set her jaw. "Leo did ask me, Mother." She had no real desire to go, especially not with her idiot lab partner, so she'd decided to keep quiet about the invitation. But if all it took to go to the school of her dreams was a few hours in a strapless bra and heels with a boy who was flunking chemistry because he spent all class trying to stare down her shirt, it was worth it.

Cora's face instantly lit up, much the way Henry's had when Regina showed him the letter. "That's wonderful news! Why didn't you tell me?" She took Regina's arm with a claw-like grasp and led her up to the girl's garishly pink bedroom. "There's so much to do, and we only have a week. We'll have to get you started on a diet immediately."

"So can I go?" Regina asked meekly. "To Columbia?"

"New York is filled with temptations," Cora said, picking through Regina's sparse and scarcely-touched makeup collection. "You're really best off here where I can watch over you. And there are so many nice boys in the neighborhood." She uncapped a lipstick and bent over Regina to apply it, grimacing at the result. "I certainly wouldn't recommend dating Leo long term, but at this late date I suppose anyone would do. Maybe you'd have better luck with the boys a year younger than you, sweetheart. What about James down the street?"

"Mother," Regina interrupted, accepting an offered tissue to wipe the lipstick off. "There are plenty of guys at Columbia, you know."

"Of course, dear, but you're not going to catch anyone's eye on your own. You always run out of the house without any makeup or any thought as to your hair." She paused to roughly yank the elastic around Regina's ponytail from her hair.

"Ow." Regina rubbed the back of her head. "If you want we can video chat every morning so you can make sure I look all right. I just really, _really_ want to go."

Cora met her daughter's pleading eyes for a moment. "No."

* * *

Emma trailed kisses just above the edge of Ruby's exposed bra, smiling into the girl's skin as hands threaded through her blonde hair. "I missed you all week."

Ruby dropped her head back to the pillow with a gasp. "You know I was… I was busy."

Emma moved back up to hover over Ruby's face, twirling a strand of red-streaked brown hair around her finger. "With your boyfriend?" she asked, her voice harsher than she'd planned. She'd known from the start that Ruby was always going to be someone else's, but after all this time she couldn't helped getting attached. Getting jealous. "Which one of us is better in bed?" she asked, trying to lighten her tone again.

"You," Ruby breathed before pushing up on her elbows to meet Emma's lips.

Emma knew she'd hate herself later when Ruby left, but in the moment she couldn't fight it. She kissed back hard, taking back dominance with a tug on the brunette's hair and a forceful tongue. It was Emma who had started this, Emma who controlled every stolen afternoon in the bed at her foster home while everyone else was out. Ruby was the one who could end it, but until that day she let the blonde set the pace.

Emma shifted to push her jean-clad knee between Ruby's legs, nipping at the girl's bottom lip as Ruby whimpered in response. They rocked against each other, Emma trailing her hands down Ruby's sides, green and blue eyes locked. "Emma," Ruby whispered, seconds before Emma heard her name again from behind her. The blonde turned in shock to see her foster mom standing in the doorway, just staring at them.

"Shit." Emma climbed off of Ruby, who had gone the color of her name and was hastily putting her shirt on inside out.

"That's it," her foster mother said, crossing the room to yank Emma to her feet. "You know the rules, Emma."

"Yeah," the blonde said, casting a glance at Ruby. "No boys. I didn't break it."

"This is not any better." The woman let go of Emma's arm. "I want you out of my house in fifteen minutes."

"You can't…"

"I can, and I will. Start packing." She stormed out of the room, and as soon as she was gone Ruby hurried towards the door.

"I should go," the brunette said softly, her expression a cross between mortified and apologetic.

Emma looked around at the room that had been hers for the past two years and then back at Ruby. "Do you think I could stay with you? Just for a little while?"

"I don't think that's a good idea," Ruby said, dropping her eyes to the floor to avoid Emma's. "I'm gonna go." Before Emma could say another word, she closed the door behind her and ran down the stairs.

Emma dumped the contents of her backpack onto her bed and began filling it with all the possessions she could carry.


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: Glad people are enjoying so far!**

* * *

Regina rested her elbows on the table in a way Cora would definitely yell at her for, her chin on her hands. The combination of too-loud music and the fact that she'd hardly eaten all day were giving her a terrible headache, and more than anything she just wanted to go home.

But her mother definitely wouldn't take well to her leaving prom early.

"Want to get out of here?"

She looked up to see Leo leaning over her. "Yeah," she said after a pause. She didn't want to go anywhere with him, but even just a bit of fresh air would be wonderful. She grabbed her clutch and followed him out into the lobby of the hotel.

"I took the liberty of getting us a room," he said with a grin, pulling a key card from his pocket, and Regina stopped short.

"That's not happening," she said, eyes wide with disbelief. "This is not some terrible 90's movie."

"Regina," he said with a pout. "Come on. You turned me down when I asked you, and then a day later you changed your mind. Don't pretend you're not using me too." Leo stepped closer, slipping an arm around her shoulders. "You kind of owe me."

"So I'll buy you a coffee some time." She shrugged him away roughly. "Or, I don't know, maybe I'll write up every damn lab report flawlessly while you sleep through class. Oh, wait, I already do." She stormed towards the front doors of the hotel, trying to keep up her angry façade despite the fact that she was truly a little afraid. She cursed herself under her breath as she stepped out into the chilly night air. It would have been smarter to go back into the ballroom, really, to stay safe among her classmates, but doing so now would mean facing Leo again. Instead, she picked a direction at random and started walking as fast as she could in heels, wrapping her arms around herself for both warmth and comfort. She cast a look over her shoulder when she'd made it a block, relieved to see that Leo wasn't following her.

Regina turned the corner and pulled her phone from her purse, wondering if she should attempt to call her father. He'd come get her, of course he would, but she knew all too well who would be sitting in the passenger seat with disappointment written all over her face.

No, she decided, she'd take her time, find somewhere to eat and warm up and call for a ride when it was a little later. She slipped the phone back into her bag, stepping on a grate in the sidewalk and stumbling when her heel caught. She let out an exasperated sigh, pulling the ridiculous blue tulle that was blocking her view to the side in an attempt to assess the damage.

"Careful, Cinderella."

Regina tensed at the unfamiliar voice, twisting around to see a girl about her age stopping behind her. At least it wasn't Leo, at least it wasn't anything worse than a skinny blonde in glasses.

"Do you need help?" the girl asked, coming around to Regina's side so they could see each other more easily.

Regina tried to pull her foot up, but she had to admit that she was stuck. "If you wouldn't mind," she said, and the blonde crouched down instantly. She shivered as the girl's cold fingers brushed against her ankle, holding her skirt up and watching as the stranger finally managed to tug the heel free.

"You know," the girl said, glancing at her watch as she stood, "it's not even midnight yet."

Regina couldn't help smiling. The blonde's new position revealed green eyes full of laughter behind the rims of her glasses. "It was a particularly bad ball," the brunette replied.

"And the prince?"

"Don't ask." Regina glanced over her shoulder again instinctively, but there was still no one there.

The girl followed her gaze, a frown suddenly playing over her lips as she recognized that look, the tinge of fear in Regina's eyes. "I can walk with you," she offered. "I don't have anywhere to be."

"And I have no clue where I'm going," Regina admitted. "Any idea where I could eat at this hour?"

"There's a disgusting greasy diner two blocks away."

"Perfect." Regina walked a little more carefully now, eyes on the ground to look for obstacles, not noticing the glances that the other girl kept sneaking at her. "I'm Regina."

"Emma." Emma took off her backpack while they walked and shrugged out of her beloved and very worn faux leather jacket, tucking it around Regina's bare shoulders.

Regina looked back up at her, startled, and slipped her arms into the sleeves. "Thank you."

Granny's Diner was quiet at that hour, and Regina was thankful for that. She glanced at herself in the mirrors that lined one of the walls, blushing at how ridiculous she looked. The hair and makeup were tasteful, she'd give her mother that, but really not her style. There wasn't much she could do about it now, but she yanked out the little tiara-shaped comb that had been digging into her scalp all evening. As she slid into the booth across from Emma, she removed the rest of her gaudy, sparkling jewelry and stuffed it into her clutch.

"You look very pretty," Emma said with a smile, sensing the brunette's self-consciousness. "A little overdressed for a late night diner run, but pretty."

Regina blushed even more at that. "I would be much happier if I looked like you right now," she said, taking in the blonde's easy striped tee and jeans. "I've never even owned a pair of jeans."

"What?" Emma dropped the menu that she'd just begun to open, gaping across the table. "How is that possible?"

"My mother is very particular about appearance," Regina said with a grimace. "Which is also why I haven't eaten all day."

Emma stared at her for a moment, both amazement and concern in her green eyes. "That is the dumbest thing I've ever heard."

"She's pretty much psychotic. She doesn't even want to let me go to college."

"Whoa, only one dose of crazy at a time, please." Emma flagged down the waitress and Regina gratefully ordered a burger and fries. The blonde got a milkshake, not particularly hungry and not too confident about the amount of money she had on her.

"God, this is so much better than prom," Regina said, realizing that she no longer had a headache.

"I'm suddenly glad I didn't go to mine." Emma glanced down, playing with her silverware. "I'm not a big fan of things that require dates. And I've only been at this school for two years, so I don't have many friends anyway."

"I've been at the same school since kindergarten," Regina replied, "and I still don't have many friends." Emma looked up again and she hurriedly added, "Because I'm not into the whole clique thing, you know? Not because I'm weird or something."

Emma laughed, and Regina instantly relaxed. "I'm at a random diner with a stranger in a big poofy dress. I'm not judging."

"This is probably the stupidest thing I've ever done," Regina admitted.

Emma rolled her eyes at that. "I clearly have a lot to teach you." Her milkshake arrived, and she took a sip before offering it across the table. "You can repay me in fries."

"Thank you." Regina took the glass and drank, glad to finally have something in her stomach.

Emma watched her closely enough to make Regina blush. "So, did you have a date?" she asked, forcing her eyes elsewhere for a moment. "Boyfriend? Girlfriend?"

"Lab partner," Regina replied, passing the milkshake back to the blonde. "I don't really date."

"Crazy mom thing?"

"Crazy me thing." Regina shook her head. "My mom would be thrilled if I ever had a boyfriend, but…" She paused. Having as few friends as she did, she rarely had to put her thoughts into words for anyone else.

"Sometimes it just doesn't happen," Emma finished for her with a shrug. "Nothing wrong with that."

Regina smiled gratefully, and then the waitress slid a plate in front of her. They fell into an easy silence, Regina focused on her burger and Emma stealing fries to dunk into her shake. When they finished, Regina paid, smiling as she set her credit card on top of the bill before Emma could get out money. "On my crazy mom," she said, reveling in the tiny act of disobedience.

They walked together back to the hotel, Regina feeling so much safer with this complete stranger beside her. But Emma didn't feel like a stranger. In the hour they'd spent together, she felt more like a friend than Regina had ever had.

As Henry pulled up, Emma took Regina's hand and squeezed it, and Regina couldn't help smiling shyly at the small gesture before hurrying at the curb. As the brunette got in, Emma realized that the other girl was still wearing her jacket, but she didn't call after her. She kind of liked it on Regina. And now she had a reason to see her again, to get it back.


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: Thanks for all the positive feedback so far! I've never enjoyed writing Emma as much as I am in this story. Which kind of speaks to what a meanie I am.**

* * *

Emma seriously considered getting on the bus when it stopped in front of her, but she stayed on the bench, her indecision keeping her in place. There would be another bus in 15 minutes. She could still bail out.

It wasn't that she was nervous, or at least that's what she told herself. It was just that pursuing girls wasn't her style. She preferred to let the Rubys of the world come to her. It was safer that way, not putting herself on the line, not making advances that could be rejected. She'd had enough of that as she was shuffled from home to home, and she'd learned early on that hearts and commitments couldn't be trusted.

Over the past few months with Ruby, she'd found herself craving something more, but she'd thankfully pushed those feelings down. Maybe she could have loved Ruby, but just like the whole litany of foster parents, the girl had run when things got messy.

But here she was, sitting across the street from the iron gates of the school, waiting to make a fool of herself.

Emma watched as students began to trickle out. She hadn't been expecting the uniforms, so she had to look extra hard to try to identify Regina. She looked so different than the girl she'd met that weekend, smaller and younger and infinitely more herself. The brunette had her hair down and a headband that matched the blue in the plaid skirt that fell to just above her knees. She had her arms crossed tightly over her white shirt, and it was that posture that gave her away. She walked, just as she had on prom night, as if something was after her and she was afraid.

As Regina crossed the street, Emma noticed the boy who was pursuing the brunette, and she rose to her feet warily. Regina kept her eyes on the ground in front of her, not seeing Emma as she passed.

"You humiliated me," Leo said as he came close to the blonde. Emma waited, silent, and then Leo grabbed Regina's arm and yanked her roughly back towards him. "You are not running away from me again."

The fear in Regina's brown eyes was all the signal Emma needed. She strode up to Leo with the confidence of a girl who'd been in and won many fights. "Let her go," she said firmly.

It was almost too easy. The boy instantly pulled his hand back, not used to such a direct challenge. "We were just…"

"I don't care what 'you were just,'" Emma snapped. "But you're going to leave her alone."

Leo backed away and headed down the street in the other direction, leaving a shocked Regina staring at Emma. "Hi," she said quietly when the blonde finally looked her way. "What are you doing here?"

"I seem to have misplaced my jacket," Emma said with a grin. "Maybe you can help."

"It's at home. Just a few blocks." Regina nodded for Emma to walk with her. "And thank you."

"You're okay?" Emma asked. Given how easily she'd dispatched Regina's pursuer, she was surprised by how shaken the brunette looked.

"He's been going at me all day," Regina said quietly. At least the tension had gone from her shoulders, her body relaxing at the proximity of the girl she somehow trusted. "He was my date the other night. He's mad that I left early." Regina left out the other reason Leo was mad, not sure she could form it into words.

"Well, now I can see why you left."

"You were much better company," Regina admitted, and Emma was unable to hold back a smile. Regina was so different than the girls she was used to, blushing at even such an innocuous statement. As the brunette unlocked her front door, Emma was shocked to realize that she didn't feel that burning need to slip up to the girl's room and make out with her, the need she felt with Ruby and the whole string of love interests before her.

They did slip up to Regina's room even so, the brunette listening carefully to see if her mother was home before they went up the stairs. Emma laughed when they stepped into the bedroom, taking in the overwhelming pink of the walls and furniture.

"Not my choice," Regina said quickly, setting her bag down.

"Crazy mom thing?"

"Very."

Emma paused by a case filled with trophies and certificates, everything from equestrian competitions to perfect attendance. Regina smiled uneasily, hating her mother's constant need to showcase the achievements that never seemed to be enough for her. She went to her closet, finding the jacket in the back corner where she'd hid it from Cora's prying eyes.

Emma walked past the desk, glancing at the acceptance letter from Columbia. "So I guess you're kind of good at everything, huh?"

"Hardly." When Emma looked up, Regina was hugging the jacket against herself in a way that made the blonde really wish she could let her keep it. If she only had another jacket, she would, but the past few nights had been cold without it. Regina reluctantly handed the garment over, her eyes lingering on Emma's. "I could drive you home," she suggested, almost afraid that Emma would leave now that she had what she wanted. She couldn't bear the thought, but she also knew she had no answers to the inevitable questions Cora would ask if she found the blonde there.

_Home_. Emma bit her lip at the word. "I really don't mind taking the bus," she said after a long pause.

"And I really don't mind driving you." Regina smiled, and Emma couldn't help but smile back. "It's the least I can do after you rescued me. Please?"

It was the please that got her, the flicker of hope in Regina's dark eyes. "Um, yeah, I guess," she said slowly.

She followed Regina down to the garage, to a car that looked almost new and impeccably clean. Emma almost felt guilty getting in, sure she'd mess up something. She gave Regina directions to the foster home where she no longer lived.

"Maybe I'll see you again?" Regina's voice carried the same mixture of worry and hope that Emma was feeling.

"I'd like that." Emma leaned her head back against the seat and watched the brunette drive. Regina glanced back out of the corner of her eye.

She pulled up to the curb outside of Emma's most recent home, grabbing a piece of paper from her purse and writing down her number. She handed it over shyly, and Emma gave her a reassuring smile as she took it, resisting the urge to lean over and kiss the girl.

Once Regina drove away, Emma began the walk back to the train station where she'd camped out the past couple of nights.

* * *

Regina stretched out on her bed, her history textbook lying untouched beside her. She was never one to ignore homework, but suddenly there were so many other things she couldn't ignore. Like the fact that she hadn't gotten as much as a text since she dropped Emma off that afternoon.

Waiting by the phone wasn't something she'd ever done before. She'd always been something of a solitary creature despite her mother's constant encouragement for her to make friends or go on dates. And she'd been on a lot of dates, none by her own choice. She had even had something like a boyfriend during her sophomore year, but they broke it off after a particularly bad groping session in his basement.

It was after that incident that Regina had come to the conclusion that she wasn't attracted to guys at all. Yet there were no girls in her life that she could imagine being even the slightest bit interested in, so she'd filed sexuality away as something to handle in college and practically forgotten about it.

She had to admit that it seemed pretty ridiculous to be just weeks away from graduating high school and only now experiencing her first crush, but she couldn't fight it away. Instead, she played her afternoon over in her head, somewhat disappointed that she didn't still have Emma's jacket.

* * *

Emma touched a hand to her hip yet again, feeling for the paper she had folded in her pocket. Regina's number, as if that would do her any good. She'd never had a cell phone, and now she didn't even have a home number.

Maybe she'd try a payphone, but that seemed silly when she had nothing at all to say. Instead she adjusted the backpack she had under her head and resigned herself to another sleepless night.


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: I'm falling way behind my normal pace, mostly because the transition to the Enchanted Forest has been really tricky to write. I'm going to be away next week so I'm not sure when I'll be updating, but I hope you'll bear with me!**

**I'd love to hear your thoughts on people and places you'd like to see in the Enchanted Forest. I know the direction I'm going, but I haven't worked out all the details yet and I'm open to suggestions. Snow, Charming, and Rumple are all in the grand plan, and Red is off the table since I short-sightedly included Ruby in the first chapter (Leopold, too, but nobody wants him anyway).**

* * *

Regina could see Emma from the top of the hill that sloped from her neighborhood towards the school. She couldn't imagine what the blonde was doing there this morning, but she'd recognize that jacket anywhere. She hurried her pace, hoping to have plenty of time with Emma before classes began. As she neared, she forced herself to take deep breaths, hoping to quiet her racing heart and fight off the warmth she could feel rising in her face.

"If I didn't know better, I'd think you were stalking me," she said, smile brightening as Emma turned on the bench to see her.

"_Do_ you know better?" Emma teased, moving over to make room for the brunette. "You know nothing about me."

"Then tell me." Regina sat down even though she knew she didn't have much time. "If you're not busy I can meet you after school."

"Or," the blonde countered, "you can forget about that mile-high stack of perfect attendance awards and come with me now."

"What, just skip school?" It was an idea that had never crossed Regina's mind in all her life. She'd never even missed a day for illness. But there were so few days left to miss, and the thought of dealing with Leo alone was enough to make her want to crawl back home.

Emma shrugged. "I'm doing it." She didn't mention that she'd skipped the day before, too. Finishing her senior year had stopped seeming at all important once she'd had everything else she knew ripped out from under her.

Regina's heart hammered both at her proximity to Emma and at her realization that she was really going to do this. "Okay." As they started down the street, she glanced over her shoulder several times, sure that trouble would be close behind, but the sidewalks were quiet now that the school bell was ringing.

"Let's see," Emma said, calling Regina's attention again as she began to divulge the promised information. "I've lived in 5 different states. A whole lot of foster homes. My parents abandoned me when I was a baby, so I've pretty much been on my own."

Emma had to admit to herself that this detail, while critical to knowing her, was almost more of a test. She prayed Regina wouldn't respond with the sort of annoying "I'm sorry" that she so often got. As if those words could fix anything.

Regina met her eyes, and Emma was grateful that her expression was more thoughtful than pitying. "That sounds hard, all that moving around. All that change."

Emma couldn't help smiling. "You get used to it."

"Do you?"

Regina kept her eyes on Emma while the blonde looked straight ahead, all of the years of hurt and loneliness rising in her mind. "I'm used to it," she said, stuffing her hands into the pockets of her jacket. "Doesn't mean it doesn't suck."

Regina was quiet for a moment, and then reached out to link her arm through Emma's. "Well, those are just your circumstances. Tell me something about _you_."

Emma's heart thudded in her chest, both from Regina's touch and her words. No one had ever said something like that to her before, like they really, truly wanted to know her. She loved Regina for it, and the realization was shocking. She didn't open her heart to just anyone, but since the moment they'd met she'd known Regina was different. "I have a wicked sweet tooth," she started, her eyes sparkling when she looked at Regina again. "I really like to read. I like sports but with all the moving I never really got to do teams, so I mostly just run. I've always wanted a dog." She paused, moving her gaze away from the brunette again. "I thought you were really cute when you got your heel caught on the street."

Regina blushed furiously and dropped her own gaze to the ground. Her grin didn't fade. "Thank you."

Emma led them the rest of the way to the mall, Regina surprised by their destination. "Well, you can't play hooky in your school uniform," Emma pointed out. "Not that I don't like it on you."

The store Regina chose was an upscale place that Emma would normally never go anywhere near. The prices were astounding, but Regina hardly seemed to notice. Emma decided to push aside her discomfort and dive into helping Regina sort through the various styles of jeans.

There was a bit of awkwardness when it came time to try things on, Regina not sure if she should invite Emma into the changing room with her. She decided against it. As much as she liked Emma, it seemed a little soon to be so exposed before her. Instead, she wriggled into an unforgiving pair of skinny jeans that the blonde had picked out and stepped out from behind the curtain to get her opinion.

Emma desperately wished she could think up some sort of intelligent response, but she could only stare. Regina had been cute in all the skirts, but this was something else entirely. "I think you should get those," she said once Regina began to look uncomfortable with all the silent staring.

"You don't think I should try the others?" Regina twisted to the side in front of the mirror.

"I just doubt anything can top that." Emma resisted the urge to tell Regina exactly how awesome her ass looked, figuring the brunette wasn't the type to enjoy that kind of compliment.

Regina charged the expensive jeans without flinching and left the store in the new denim and the crisp white button-down of her school uniform. Emma couldn't help noticing that Regina had buttoned it just a little lower.

* * *

"I think this is the most fun I've ever had," Regina told Emma as they walked up the hill to the brunette's house.

"You really need to get out more," Emma teased.

"I liked it because I was with you," Regina said, glancing at the blonde out of the corner of her eye. "I've done more exciting things than sitting in the food court for hours and talking, but you weren't there for any of them."

"I don't know. You did go to a diner in your prom dress with me."

Regina stopped at the bottom of her driveway, turning to face Emma and tentatively taking her hand. "I didn't know how much I was going to like you back then," she said quietly.

"Oh?" Emma grinned at the revelation, taking a step closer. "And how much do you like me now?"

"A lot."

Regina closed her eyes as Emma leaned in, offering herself up for a kiss, but before Emma could close the distance between them Regina heard her name in the sharp tones of her mother's voice.

Regina's eyes shot open again and she immediately took a step back, looking nervously up towards the doorway. "Now," Cora barked, and Regina barely had time for an apologetic look at Emma before she hurried up the walk.

"Mother," she started, although she couldn't imagine what she could possibly say to avoid her mother's anger. There was no explaining why she'd been almost kissing a girl outside, or even why she was wearing denim.

"The school called me this morning to tell me you didn't show up," Cora said, shutting the door behind them. "I told them they must have made a mistake. For 12 years you have refused to miss a day of school, which I frankly never understood. But suddenly you do it, and you'd better have a good reason for not telling me."

"It wasn't really planned ahead of time," Regina said. "Emma just—"

"Emma?" Cora peered out the window to see the blonde still lingering on the sidewalk. "You don't know any Emmas. Who is she?" Before Regina could respond, Cora roughly closed the curtains to block the blonde from sight. "It doesn't matter. What matters is that you were kissing her in the middle of the street in broad daylight. _And_ you look like a mess. After all the work I've put into your reputation and your prospects, you throw it all away just like that?"

"Mother." Regina's tone was more pleading this time. Everything was going downhill faster than she'd anticipated.

"How could you do this to me? To yourself?" Cora grabbed Regina roughly by the shoulders and gave her a shake. "You idiot girl. What man is going to want to be with you after you go and do something like that?"

"I don't like men," Regina said softly. "I like Emma."

Cora studied Regina coldly before pulling her hands back. "I don't even know who you are anymore," she said, putting on her injured mother voice. "You apply to Columbia without telling me, you skip school, you start fooling around with some girl I don't even know."

Regina took a deep breath. She'd learned over the years just to take her mother's criticism, but after having her dream college snatched away the words "Yes, Mother" had become bitter in her mouth. She opened the door without speaking another word and left, hurrying down the street to catch up with Emma.

The blonde turned and stopped at the footsteps. "Is everything okay?" she asked, even though it obviously wasn't. Regina was just beginning to cry, and after calling her name a few times Cora had slammed the door and locked it.

"I hate her," Regina said. "She's always been harsh but she can't keep expecting me to be something I'm not."

Emma wrapped her arms around the brunette, not saying anything. Hate she was familiar with, but parents were far from her expertise.

"Could I stay with you?" Regina asked, stepping back from the hug as the panic of leaving Cora's protection hit her. "Just for a little."

"No, you can't." Emma wished she could take the words back as soon as she said them, remembering how just a week ago Ruby had said the same thing to her. Regina looked absolutely crushed, and Emma took her hands and squeezed them. "I don't mean it like that, Regina. If I could I would let you stay as long as you wanted, but you're better off asking someone else."

"I don't know who else to ask," Regina replied softly.

Emma hadn't told anyone the truth about her situation, and she dreaded what she was about to say. It was sure to drive Regina from her, but at least it was honest, at least it would show that she didn't want to reject the request. "My foster parents kicked me out. I don't have anywhere to take you."

That silenced Regina. The brunette was shocked, her own pain forgotten as she gaped at Emma. "Where have you been living?"

"Nowhere. Wherever." Emma shrugged, and suddenly Regina was back in her arms and holding on tight.

"Oh, Emma," she whispered. "That's terrible. I wish you'd told me. Maybe I could have helped you."

Emma slowly wrapped her arms around the brunette, surprised that the revelation had somehow brought Regina closer. "I didn't think you'd want to spend time with someone who is, you know, homeless."

Regina gripped the fabric of Emma's jacket as if desperate to keep her there. "Well, now you don't have to be alone."

"This doesn't change the fact that you need to stay with one of your school friends," Emma insisted. "You have options. You're not sleeping out in the cold somewhere."

"Only if they'll take you, too," Regina insisted. "Or we can get a hotel room or something. I'll pay. No matter what my mother says, my dad won't cut me off."

Emma eased Regina away so they could see each other, the blonde overwhelmed with emotion. No one had ever cared this much about what happened to her. Not her parents, not anyone in the long string of social workers and foster families, not her smattering of almost-friends and almost-girlfriends. Just a girl she hardly knew.

This time, there was no one to stop Emma from kissing Regina.


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: This chapter was a bit of a struggle, but I loved writing all of Emma's dialogue. Welcome to the Enchanted Forest!**

* * *

It was, by far, the best kiss Regina had ever had.

She didn't know if she should attribute it to the fact that it was with a girl, or that it was with Emma, or if it was simply that she'd actually wanted it. There was a rush like she'd never felt before, as if something burst around them the minute they touched. As if they were in the movies, with lights and wind machines.

She reluctantly allowed Emma to pull away after a moment, but Regina kept her eyes closed and her arms firmly around the blonde, burying her face in the other girl's neck. She stayed there, still soaking up the moment, when Emma's voice forced her eyes open.

"What the hell?"

Regina looked up, twisting to figure out what Emma was looking at, but it was all around them. The suburban street was gone, trees in its place. It was a thick and gloomy forest unlike any either girl had ever seen, fog keeping them from seeing far.

They let go of each other but stayed close, looking around as if an answer would come into view. "Something happened when I kissed you," Emma said. "It was really different than ever before."

"Good different," Regina replied, both a statement and a question.

Emma smiled. "But even the best kiss ever couldn't really…" She waved at the scenery around them. "I don't get it."

"Maybe if we try again?" If nothing else, Regina was eager for another kiss. They drew together and kissed harder this time, desperate to make something happen. And while it felt just as special, just as right, it didn't take them back.

They pulled apart to look around again, both puzzling over what possibly could have happened. There were no answers, none that made sense. Emma intertwined her fingers with Regina's and started off into the forest with the brunette following close behind her. They were both silent, speechless as they found a dirt path and took it. It seemed impossible to talk about anything but where they were, and yet neither had any idea how to address that topic.

"Is this place freaking you out as much as it's freaking me out?" Emma asked after a few minutes of walking. The fog was constantly folding in behind them, and the forest was strangely quiet.

"Yeah." Regina glanced over her shoulder to see nothing but mist. There was no way of finding their way back to the place where they'd started, not that there was anything in that spot worth going back to.

The fog thankfully began to thin, and both girls smiled at the silhouette of a house in the distance. They hurried towards it, grateful for some sign of civilization, but Emma came to an abrupt stop when they were halfway there, not seeming to notice when Regina crashed into her. "Holy shit," she whispered. "Do you see that?"

"See what?" Regina saw nothing but the house, although something definitely seemed off about it. It was nothing like the crisp, identical houses of her neighborhood. It had curving edges, and strange accents painted in white.

"It's a gingerbread house," Emma breathed, and Regina finally saw that it was creamy frosting, not paint. "_The_ gingerbread house. Hansel and Gretel."

"Who?" Regina followed close behind Emma as they continued towards the house.

"From the fairytale, you know? The witch in the gingerbread house."

"My mother was never one for fairytales." Regina ignored the sting that came from thinking of her mother, instead peering closely at the building.

Emma paused to look back at Regina and shake her head. "She's insane. I loved those stories when I was little." She stopped moving again, close enough to see the texture of the gingerbread and the ripples in the sugar-glass windows. "It looks so real. It even smells real." She grabbed onto Regina's wrist when the brunette made to move forward. "We are _not_ knocking on that door. We are not touching that house."

They headed back to the road, Regina puzzled by Emma's sudden retreat. "I thought we could ask for help. Find out where we are."

"In the story, these two kids are abandoned by their parents in the woods." Emma smiled sadly to herself; she'd always loved the stories about orphans and lost children most, even though her own happy ending never seemed to come. "So they go to this house made of gingerbread and try to eat parts of it, and there's a witch inside who catches them and locks them up. She's going to cook one of them for dinner, but they shove her in the oven and get away."

Regina grimaced. "That's a terrible story."

"I'll tell it to you better another time. It was always one of my favorites." Emma glanced at Regina to see her disgust disappear into a smile. "So we're either at Disneyland, in which case we should just enjoy ourselves, or…"

Emma didn't finish the sentence, and Regina didn't even attempt to make a suggestion of her own. They fell back into silence, taking the trail side by side until the lifting fog revealed tall iron gates. As they stepped out of the cover of the trees, they could see the massive, dark building squatting behind the gate.

"What story is that from?" Regina asked, peering up to find towers and spires climbing up through the roof.

"Don't know, but big creepy castles are probably not a good idea." Emma made to move on, but Regina stayed put.

"We need to find out where we are and how we got here," she insisted. "We can't just keep walking forever. I'm cold and I'm hungry and I just want to go home." She paused after that, wishing she didn't sound so whiny. They'd only been out here for half an hour at most, but Emma had been living like this for a week. "Not _home_."

"Somewhere you actually recognize," Emma supplied, slipping off her jacket and tucking it around Regina's shoulders like she had on prom night. The brunette gave her a watery smile and Emma pulled her close. "We're in this together," she promised. "If you want to go check out the big creepy castle, then we'll do that."

Regina kissed Emma's cheek, grateful beyond words that the blonde was reassuring her rather than thinking her ridiculous. "I wish we had another choice," she said softly.

They stayed close together as they passed through the gates and made their way up the long path towards the castle. Very few windows were lit, revealing it to be mostly unoccupied, but the distance between the gates and the doors gave whoever was in there plenty of time to see them coming. By the time they reached the bottom of the stairs, a girl about their age opened one of the doors and took a step out.

The girl wore a simple blue dress that looked as though it came from another era, and she was holding a candle. Emma took a deep breath and was the first to speak. "Hi. We're lost and we were wondering if you could tell us where we are."

The girl looked puzzled, taking in their clothing and their odd question. "The town of Kell End is about a mile down the road," she said.

Emma and Regina shared a glance, neither registering the name. "But where are we, you know." Emma gestured widely.

"As this is disputed territory, it doesn't have much of a proper name. We're between the three kingdoms." When she realized the travelers still had no idea what she was talking about, she continued. "Between the Red, Gold, and White Kingdoms. The three main divisions of the Enchanted Forest. Although how you got here without passing through at least one of them, I don't know."

"The Enchanted Forest," Regina echoed. "I think we're very far from home."

"No kidding." Emma turned back towards the girl. "Is there any chance we could stay here for the night?"

"I'll have to ask my master," the girl replied, and yet she led them into a gloomy entrance hall. The visitors instinctively reached for each other's hands.

"Who is your master?" Regina asked, seeing no sign of other activity in the hall or any of the hallways leading off of it.

"The Dark One."

"What, like Voldemort?" Emma asked. Both brunettes looked at her quizzically, and she turned to Regina. "Seriously? You don't know Harry Potter?"

"My mother said those books were dangerously unrealistic," Regina replied bitterly, remembering all too well when she had been the only girl in middle school who wasn't reading them.

"They're called fantasy for a reason," Emma said.

The girl in the blue dress cleared her throat and the visitors stopped their discussion. "May I have your names to take to my master?"

"Regina Mills."

"Emma Swan."

The girl curtseyed slightly before setting the candle on a table to leave them with some light. "I'm Belle, if you need me."

Emma looked over Belle's dress again, realization dawning on her. "Like the princess?"

"Certainly not. My father has only just been made a Count." She nodded to them and hurried up the stairs.

Emma glared at the candle. "You'd better not start talking to me."

"What do you think this all means?" Regina asked as soon as they were alone again. "The Enchanted Forest? The Dark One?"

Emma drew Regina closer, slipping her arms around the brunette's waist. "Maybe we're just dreaming."


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N: Wrapped this chapter up tonight and figured I'd share it, vacation or not. I hope you enjoy!**

* * *

Belle closed the door behind her, leaving Regina and Emma alone in a room dimly lit by a fire and a few candles. There was no sign of electricity in the castle. There was no sign of much, really. Belle appeared to be the only servant, bringing messages to and from her master, offering them a simple dinner, and starting the fire herself. They hadn't seen another living being, which only added to the eeriness of their surroundings. Belle seemed to understand, easily convinced to allow them to stay in the same room instead of splitting them up.

"I'm sorry I suggested we come here," Regina said with a frown, sitting down on the edge of the bed gingerly.

Emma flopped down on the bed so hard that she jostled the brunette. "I don't know, I'm pretty happy now. I've got a bed and a roof and a very pretty roommate."

Regina blushed, sinking down onto her back so that they were both lying sideways across the bed. "I guess it's a better option than you've had all week," she conceded.

"And it's much less pink than your bed," Emma pointed out. She wriggled closer until there was no space left between them.

"And a very pretty roommate," Regina repeated. They kissed softly, Emma pulling Regina's body tight against hers. And then the kisses deepened, Emma thoroughly tasting Regina's mouth while the brunette just tried to keep up. Regina got her legs tangled up in Emma's, and her fingers tangled in blonde hair. They put all their uncertainty and fear into the desperate kisses until they were too delightfully distracted to even give a thought to their surroundings.

Emma danced her fingers up under Regina's shirt, smoothing them against her back as she nipped at the brunette's lip. Regina shivered at the touch as it traced her sensitive sides and started up her front. And then Emma was straddling her, pulling her own shirt off before going clumsily at Regina's buttons. The brunette just took in the view. She'd never seen another girl like this before, so close and so fiercely beautiful. She tugged Emma back down for another kiss, one that she quickly broke when Emma finished with her shirt and cupped her through her bra. She leaned up into the touch, lips parted, quietly gasping for air.

Emma forced herself to pause, waiting until Regina's dark eyes met hers. She had to remember that this was different. Regina wasn't like Ruby or any of the others. Regina, for reasons Emma couldn't quite articulate, was special. She'd felt it in their kiss and in their conversations, and she wasn't about to let herself get carried away and ruin it all so soon. "What," she started breathlessly, "what do you want? Or not want?"

Regina stared up at her for a moment, reveling in the words. No boy had ever asked her that. Even Daniel, who she'd dated for a while and certainly liked a lot. She had to stop him, and all of the others, if they tried to press too far. "If we can just keep it above the waist tonight," she said, smiling slowly. "Thank you for asking."

Emma smiled back before leaning down to kiss Regina sweetly and lightly. "Come here." She crawled off of Regina and pulled back the covers on the bed to make room for them up near the pillows. She gave Regina a reassuring smile as she unbuttoned her jeans. "Just want to be comfortable for sleeping," she promised, tucking her bare legs beneath the blankets.

Regina did the same, glancing up and finding that Emma was very carefully looking towards the far side of the room. "You can look," she suggested, leaving her new jeans on the floor. Emma turned her head just in time to see Regina unclasp her bra and slip it down her arms before adding it to the pile and climbing into bed.

Emma drew her close, limiting her hands to just Regina's bare back for a moment. "You're beautiful," she whispered close to the brunette's ear.

"You, too." Regina reached up to stroke Emma's hair, smiling. Despite the fact that she had no idea where they were, she was certain that she'd never been this happy before. She brought her hand down to the clasp of Emma's bra, fumbling with it until Emma reached around to help her. "I've never had to take one off of anyone but me," she admitted.

Emma kissed one of Regina's reddening cheeks before throwing the garment behind her. "So no girls before?"

Regina exhaled sharply as her skin came in contact with Emma's. "No girls."

"Guys?"

"Kind of."

"What does that mean?" Emma slowly brought a hand between them, enjoying the way Regina clearly fought to stay focused on the conversation when her fingers brushed just below the brunette's breast.

"I don't want to talk about my mother right now." Regina tried to sound insistent but she was only breathy as Emma palmed her, a thumb grazing over her sensitive skin.

"Fair enough." Emma gave her a reassuring kiss, knowing that parents were a sore spot at the moment, but Regina was too distracted to let it faze her. The brunette merely arched into the touch as Emma toyed with a nipple. And then the blonde leaned over and applied her mouth, and Regina scrabbled at the sheets, desperate to ground herself somehow. She was pretty sure that nothing had ever felt that good, and though she'd always been quiet with boys she couldn't help the whimpering moans that escaped her.

Emma pulled away, giving Regina a cross between a smirk and a genuinely happy smile. Regina retaliated by bringing her own hands to the blonde's chest. "I'm pretty sure it's only girls from now on," she breathed, taking a moment to soak in the way Emma's curves felt against her palms.

Emma said nothing for a moment, lips slightly parted even as she forgot to breathe. Regina's movements were tentative and light as she tested out this new scenario, getting nothing but encouragement from Emma's green eyes. And then the blonde leaned forward to kiss her, Regina's hands trapped between their colliding bodies. "Not only girls," she whispered, her lips brushing against Regina's. "Just one girl. I'm keeping you."

Regina slipped her hands around to Emma's back, her eyes glittering with her smile. "Okay."

They fell into silence, embracing as chastely as they could in their current state of undress, trying their best to tamp down their desire. The candles had all but burned down, and the glow of the fire wasn't bright enough to entice either girl to get out of bed and try to figure out how to stop it. "Goodnight." Emma pulled the blankets up higher around them.

Regina leaned in for a kiss, deep and emphatic. "Goodnight."


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N: I have finally figured out the big picture plot! So here's a little fluff and a little serious.**

* * *

It took Regina a moment to remember where she was upon waking up. The room was dark, heavy curtains blocking out any chance of sunlight. Not her room, not her bed. The only familiar thing was Emma beside her, still sleeping deeply. Regina tucked the blankets around the blonde's nearly naked form before getting up and finding her garments among the scattered clothing they'd discarded the night before. She dressed quickly, unsure of what time it was and whether Belle would turn up and not particularly wanting to get caught.

When she looked over at the bed again, Emma's eyes were just barely open, squinting in her direction. "Come back," she whispered, her voice heavy and raspy with sleep.

Regina slid back into bed fully clothed, resting her head against the blonde's shoulder. Emma snuggled closer and closed her eyes, finding sleep again now that everything was in place. The brunette was still awake, but she relaxed against the other girl, managing to put off worrying about where they were and what would happen next.

Regina must have dozed off, because the next thing she knew Belle was setting down a tray of tea things and breakfast food. When the girl turned to start the fire, Regina gave Emma a shake. The blonde groaned, burying her face in Regina's shoulder.

"He would like to speak with you both this morning," Belle said, fussing with the tray and not looking in their direction. Regina tugged a sheet up to cover Emma again. "He doesn't like to be kept waiting."

"We'll be ready soon," Regina promised, placing her hand over the one Emma had resting on her stomach.

"Speak for yourself," Emma mumbled, but Belle just offered a brief curtsey and left them.

"We have to find out what's going on," Regina insisted, sitting up and forcing Emma to topple off of her. "And I get the feeling we don't want to anger this guy."

"He-Who-Shall-Not-Be-Named? He'll get over it." Still, Emma sat up, and Regina rewarded her with a kiss to the cheek.

Regina got out of the bed, tossing a few of Emma's articles of clothing towards her before pouring a cup of tea and helping herself to a scone. The blonde grumbled to herself as she dressed, and the brunette glanced over her shoulder to give her a smile.

Emma finally pulled her shoes on and took a seat beside Regina. She lifted the lid off the teapot, crinkling her nose at the scent and going for a scone instead.

"Are you a coffee girl?" Regina asked.

"Hot chocolate. With lots of whipped cream." Emma grinned at the thought.

"That sounds disgusting." Regina finished the last of her tea. "I only like cocoa with a little cinnamon. Cuts the sweetness a bit."

"Sounds good," Emma conceded. "What about whipped cream _and_ cinnamon?"

Regina rolled her eyes. "Come on. Let's go."

* * *

Neither girl was sure who'd reached for the other's hand, but they held on tightly as the Dark One studied them with cold, dark eyes. His skin was almost reptilian, certainly not human, and the jagged smile he gave them sent shivers up their spines.

"What are you?" Emma asked, and Regina winced at her bluntness. The man, the creature, took slow steps towards them, but rather than answer Emma's question or punish her for speaking out of turn, he kept his eyes fixed on Regina.

"You look just like your mother," he said. Regina closed her eyes as he reached for her, but she could feel the long nails and clammy fingers on her cheek. "But sweeter. Innocent, even."

Regina snapped her eyes open again when he trailed his fingers down towards her neck, wanting more than anything to get away from his touch but too terrified to move. Emma tugged Regina into her arms, out of the Dark One's reach. "Touch her again and you'll regret it."

The Dark One sneered at them. "I wouldn't be challenging me if I were you, dearie. You have no idea what I'm capable of."

Regina spoke up before Emma could respond to the threat. "You know my mother?"

"I do, indeed." He paced away from them, and both girls exhaled sharply in relief. "I know you, too, Regina. I was at your Naming. I'm the one who helped your parents travel to another realm to keep you safe."

Regina just stared at him silently. It was Emma who jumped in, asking the question Regina was considering. "She's from here?"

The Dark One turned and grinned at Emma. "You both are. I don't know how you managed to open a portal and bring yourselves back to this world, but I knew you would. It's your destiny, Princess."

Emma turned to meet Regina's eyes. "You're a princess?"

"No, no, Emma," he cut in. "_You_ are."

The blonde stared at him for a moment before laughing uncontrollably. "That's ridiculous. This," she gestured around them, "this is ridiculous. All of it. Just tell us how to get back to the real world."

"Afraid I can't," the Dark One replied, although from his gleeful smile it was clear that he wasn't at all disappointed to share the news. "You see, after the King and Queen lost their darling baby girl through a portal, all such magic was banned. People have tried and tried again to open doors to the other realms, but even someone as powerful as myself can't overcome the enchantment on these lands." He strolled closer again, looking both girls up and down. "How you've managed to break through the enchantment, I can't imagine."

Regina glanced at Emma to see the blonde absolutely stunned, trying desperately to process all the man was saying. "So we're trapped here?"

"Only temporarily, dearie." The Dark One paused before the brunette, his gaze almost hungry as he looked at her. "As I said, your little Princess was destined to return. Once she's fulfilled her destiny, I imagine she can manage to get the enchantment lifted."

Emma tightened her grip on Regina protectively, glaring at the man who was leering at the other girl. "What do I have to do?"

He nodded towards a table cluttered with books and bottles, and the girls cautiously followed him and glanced down at the map that took up the only clear space on the table. It showed three lands, one in yellow, one in pink, and one in gray, with a small white patch in the place where their corners should meet. "The White and Red Kingdoms have been at war for eighteen years, and you're going to end it."

Emma arched an eyebrow. "You want me to stop a war?"

"I don't _want_ anything," he replied, but Emma still looked skeptical. "I'm only telling you what's meant to be."

"So you want me—sorry, _destiny_ wants me—to waltz into a couple of strange kingdoms and convince them to stop fighting?" Emma glanced at Regina and then back at the Dark One. "How the hell do you expect me to pull that off?"

He tapped one dirty finger down on the White Kingdom. "Because this is your mother," he said, "and this," he pointed to the Red Kingdom, "is your father."


	8. Chapter 8: Flashbacks

**A/N: This is super short, but I felt like it was important to give a little background. Both of these scenes take place 17-18 years before the story starts.**

**This has Rumple/Cora and Snowing. Straight people have infiltrated my story.**

* * *

"What have you done?" Henry hurried after his wife. "We discussed it just this morning. She was to be named after my mother!"

Cora came to a stop once they reached her chambers, looking down at the baby without a hint of emotion. Henry had gotten used to being looked at like that, but the way Cora handled their child felt unnatural. As if Isabella was an object, not a person.

No, he reminded himself. Not Isabella. Regina.

"I wanted to make a statement," Cora said, flicking her bored eyes up to meet Henry's.

"A _treasonous_ statement! They'll kill her, and you, and probably me as well." He threw the closet open, beginning to throw things to pack on the bed. "We have to run."

"I do not run," Cora said, dropping Regina into the pile of clothes on the bed. "I'm not a coward."

"No, you're no coward," a third voice said. "You're a reckless fool who is going to get herself killed."

Henry and Cora glanced up to see that Rumplestiltskin was perched on the chair in the corner. Regina whined, and her father picked her up, cradling her close. "What do you want?" he demanded.

"Oh, just wanted to give the little one a present." Rumplestiltskin approached Henry and pulled a shimmering translucent bean from his pocket. "A chance to live."

Regina continued fussing, and Henry bounced her gently while looking skeptically up at the imp. "She's his daughter, isn't she?" he asked, turning towards Cora. He could see the same question in the Dark One's eyes.

Cora just waved dismissively at them. "Do you really think I'd take the chance that my child was born without a drop of noble blood?" She laughed, and Regina began to cry in Henry's arms. "Do you really think I'd give birth to a peasant bastard?"

Henry pulled Regina in tighter, leaning down to kiss her forehead. He didn't care whose she was, he realized as she quieted and stared up at him with big brown eyes.

Rumplestiltskin looked almost disappointed, but he hid the emotion quickly. "Promise me you'll protect her," he whispered to Henry, glancing wistfully at Cora. Without another word, he threw the bean down, a portal swirling open on the floor.

* * *

Charming burst into the nursery to see Snow crouched by the wardrobe, opening and closing the door. She had run straight from the battlefield just like him, not even taking the time to tend to the cut on her forehead that was trickling blood. She stood up, and Charming was surprised to see fear in her eyes. "We've won," he said, taking her hands in his. "King Midas has been captured, King George is dead. They can't tear us apart." He pulled her in for a kiss. "Abigail will leave us be, and she'll be a good queen. And we can finally have our happily ever after."

"Charming," Snow said softly, reluctantly. He let her go to hurry to the crib and she fixed her eyes on the ceiling, body tense as she waited for the real battle to begin.

"Where's Emma?"

Snow closed her eyes and forced herself to take in a deep breath. "They got so close to the palace. I didn't want them to find her."

Charming immediately ran to the wardrobe, bending down in front of it and opening the door to find it empty. "We agreed on this, Snow," he said. "Fairy magic is spotty at best, and you know what they say."

She forced herself to look at him, to see the pain in his eyes. "It always comes with a price."

He opened the door again. "Where is she, Snow?"

"I put her through," Snow said, tears mingling with the blood dripping down the side of her face. "She was supposed to come back when I unlocked it again, but she wasn't there on the other side. She must have moved, or someone moved her."

He stood up straight, anger overtaking worry in his eyes. "If she'd stayed here, we would have protected her at all costs. We knew what we were up against. Now we don't even know where she is."

"She could be anywhere," Snow admitted. "The wardrobe only had magic for one. We can't follow her. We'd have to scour every realm to get her back."

Charming wanted more than anything to call for the Blue Fairy and demand a portal, but nobody knew how many realms there were, or how big they were. They commanded a large army, but no army was large enough to cover all of that space and find the lost princess. "She's gone," he said, walking over to the crib and staring down into the empty space where he'd last seen his daughter.

Snow sank down onto the floor and covered her face with her hands. "I'm so sorry," she sobbed, Charming's words forcing both to accept the truth.

"You made a mistake." Snow glanced up hopefully at those words, but Charming's expression was steely as he turned to face her. "You made a mistake, and now our baby girl is out there paying the price." He snatched up a stuffed bear from the crib and strode towards the door. "I love you, Snow, but I will never forgive this."

Snow watched him leave before whispering, "I love you, too."


	9. Chapter 9

"Yeah, I don't do creatures." Emma stood with her hands on her hips, staring up at the horse. "I'll walk."

"It's a long way," Belle pointed out as she brought a second horse out. It was becoming clearer and clearer that she really was the only servant in the castle.

Regina stepped up to the bigger of the two horses, reaching up to stroke the animal's neck. "Why don't we take just one?" she suggested, smiling as the horse immediately responded to her touch with affection. "I took riding lessons for almost ten years. You'll only have to hold on."

"Right," Emma said, recalling the case of achievements in Regina's room. "And when I fall?"

"You're not going to fall." Regina turned to fully face the blonde and give her a light kiss. "The faster we travel, the faster we can get out of this place."

Emma sighed, leaning in to demand another kiss. "If I do fall it's all on you."

"You saw all my trophies." Despite the size of the horse, Regina mounted it easily, leaving Emma gaping on the ground. "You're not going to fall."

Belle wished them luck and retreated to the stables with the other horse, while Regina rode up alongside a wooden fence. "Climb up over here. It'll be easier."

Emma reluctantly stepped up onto the rungs, thankful that Regina turned and took a firm hold of her arm. It was nowhere near as clean as the brunette's ascent, but with some coaxing Emma managed to get up on the animal. Regina pulled the blonde's arms around her waist.

"Are you okay?" she asked, looking over her shoulder.

Emma kissed Regina's neck where the girl's ponytail exposed it. "I don't usually do things that scare me," she admitted. "I hate this."

"I'll start slow. Just close your eyes and get used to the motion."

Emma did close her eyes, tightening her embrace as the horse began to move. Regina made a small adjustment in her position, hoping not to throw the blonde off balance. But Emma stayed put, exhaling sharply against Regina's ear as the movement pushed their bodies closer together. "Maybe it's not so bad," she whispered.

"No?" Regina urged the horse slightly faster, and Emma opened her eyes and rested her chin on the brunette's shoulder.

"No." Emma gave Regina a squeeze before carefully moving one arm up to pull the elastic from Regina's hair and let it fall. She buried her face in the brown locks, reveling in the fact that Regina still smelled sweet after a night in a world with no indoor plumbing. She desperately wanted off the horse, but it wasn't fear that drove her now. She just wanted to hold the brunette from the front, to kiss her senseless, to revisit all the things they'd done last night and maybe more.

More than anything, Emma wanted to keep being brave, to lean forward and whisper words she'd never spoken in her life. But she wanted to look into Regina's eyes when she did it. If she was going to finally let herself love someone, she was damn well going to do it right.

"I really missed riding," Regina said, pulling Emma out of her thoughts again. "It's been a while."

"Why'd you quit? You're really good." Emma had no idea if this was true or not, but based on all the rewards she figured it was a fair guess.

"Remember last night when I said I didn't want to talk about my mom?"

Emma nuzzled Regina's neck. "I remember a lot of things about last night."

Regina couldn't help smiling at that, taking one hand from the reins and placing it over Emma's against her stomach. "My mom's way more invested in my love life than I ever was, and she was always pushing me to go out with just about any guy who came along. I went on a ton of dates, but I didn't have an actual long-term boyfriend until two years ago. Mother didn't particularly like him, but she was so happy that I'd managed to hold down a guy. We broke up and she started taking away my privileges."

"She just gets crazier." Emma brought her other arm to wrap around Regina completely. "Why'd you break up?"

Regina sighed and slowed the horse, stopping near a stream to give the animal a break. She slid down and then helped Emma dismount, hands on the blonde's hips to keep her steady.

"I don't know how you expect to get me back up there," Emma said, leaning in to finally claim that face-to-face kiss.

"We'll figure something out." Regina sat down with her back against a tree and Emma followed suit, as close to Regina as she could comfortably manage. "Do you really want to know about Daniel?"

Emma took Regina's hand between hers, sensing the brunette's discomfort. "Only if you want to talk about him."

"I've never told anyone," Regina admitted, leaning against Emma's shoulder.

"I can tell you something I've never told anyone," Emma offered, heart racing at the suggestion.

"I really liked him," Regina began, watching the horse instead of looking at Emma. "It was so nice to be close to somebody for once. He was the best friend I'd ever had." She chanced a look in the blonde's direction and got a reassuring smile in return. "I just never liked all the physical stuff, which I realize now…" She trailed off, gesturing to the pair of them with her free hand.

"Yeah," Emma said with a nod.

"But he liked it," she continued, the emotion rising in her voice. "And I wanted him to be happy, so I did the best I could. Until one night we took things way too far and I freaked and broke up with him on the spot."

Emma reached up to stroke Regina's hair, tucking the strands that were blocking her view of the other girl's face behind her ear. "You slept with him?"

Regina just squeezed her eyes shut, and Emma moved closer, tucking her arms lightly around the brunette. "It's not supposed to be like that," she whispered. "Not the first time. It's supposed to be special."

"Hey." Emma kissed Regina's cheek and waited until she could see those brown eyes again. "Mine wasn't so hot, either. But people put too much emphasis on the first time, and it's stupid. It shouldn't matter so much."

Regina kissed Emma hard, but the blonde pulled back sooner than expected. "What's wrong?"

"I've never said this to anyone before, Regina. Not once." Emma cupped Regina's face in her hands, their eyes locked. "I love you. And I know it's too soon to say that, but it's true. I've never met anyone like you."

Regina's confusion and sadness faded away at that, and she kissed Emma slowly this time, gradually, starting with just a brush of her lips and ending with Emma tugging at her hair and the sweep of tongues. "I love you, too."

Emma pulled Regina into her lap, holding her as tightly as possible. "Who cares about some stupid prophecy? Let's just stay right here forever."

"It's your parents, Emma," Regina pointed out, although she too seemed to have no great need to move on.

"They'll still be my parents tomorrow," Emma said before kissing Regina again and again.


	10. Chapter 10

**A/N: Sorry, guys! Between finishing Wish I Were Here, some SQ role playing, and getting a little bit of work done, I lost focus on this story. I'm hoping I'll be able to power through to the end.**

* * *

The pounding of hooves drove the girls apart. Emma tugged her discarded shirt back on, while Regina struggled to button hers quickly. As the sound grew louder, Emma passed Regina her jacket, zipping it up over the still open shirt. They scrambled to their feet just in time for a group of knights to come into view.

"Papers?" one of them demanded, holding out a gloved hand.

Emma and Regina shared a look before the blonde spoke up. "We're not from here."

"Spies, then?" It was the knights' turn to look to each other.

"Not very good ones if they are. I'd wager they're witches."

"They're not exactly dressed like either." One of the knights dismounted and approached them. "If you don't have papers from the White or Gold kingdoms, we have to take you in."

"We've come from the, uh, the area without a name," Emma offered.

"The disputed territory," Regina chimed in. "But we're from another realm."

The knights laughed at that. "That's the best one I've heard all week." The one on the ground pulled a pair of cuffs from his saddlebag and clapped them around Regina's wrists.

_Run_, she mouthed to Emma, but the blonde stayed in place, offering her hands willingly when another pair was found. She kept her eyes on Regina, making sure the other girl knew that no one was being abandoned. The fear in the brunette's eyes was what drove her to say the only thing she could think of. "I'm the Queen's daughter."

There was silence, not even the horses daring to move. The knight finished tightening Emma's cuffs, taking a firm hold of the chain between her wrists before he slapped her.

Emma had been slapped enough times in the past that she knew how to move with the blow, how to lessen the sting, but she wasn't expecting the armored gloves. Regina cried out when the knight made contact, but Emma was too stunned to react. The chainmail left hundreds of tiny scratches on her cheek, and the weight of the blow left the faint taste of blood in her mouth.

"Emma!" Regina moved closer to inspect the blonde, but the other knights got off their horses and one of them held her back.

"That's treason of the worst kind." The knight was still holding Emma's handcuffs in front of her. "Lying about royal birth is illegal as it is, but impersonating the lost princess? That is truly vile."

Emma probed the inside of her cheek with her tongue before speaking. "She has nothing to do with this. I… I forced her to come along."

"She seems pretty complicit." The knight restraining Regina grabbed a handful of her hair and pulled her head back, exposing her neck which was dotted with marks from Emma's attentions. The other knights laughed. "Unless we need to add assault to your charges."

"She hasn't hurt me," Regina said firmly, relief flooding her features when he let go of her hair.

"Don't worry, the punishment for spying is only a little time locked up," the third knight said as he chained the cuffs to the horses. "But with treason, anything is possible."

* * *

As soon as the guards left, Emma and Regina rushed to the bars that separated their holding cells. "Does it hurt?" Regina asked, lightly touching her fingertips to Emma's face just above the torn skin.

Emma winced but shook her head. "I can handle it."

Regina leaned her head against the bars. She didn't know if she should scold the girl for getting herself into so much trouble, or worry about her, or both. "Emma," she said, her voice quivering with the mix of emotions.

"Hey." Emma's tone was soothing. "It's going to be okay. I've gotten out of worse."

"Worse than being held in some sort of medieval prison and charged with treason?"

"Well, no." Emma took both of Regina's hands and gave them a gentle squeeze. "What I wouldn't give to be back in the forest with you."

"What I wouldn't give to be back at the mall with you." Regina couldn't help smiling. This was a terrible situation, but she was so happy to have Emma near that she couldn't stay down for long.

"I'm not going to let anything happen to you." Emma gave her an encouraging kiss. "God, when that guy touched you I wanted to kill him."

"They hurt you far worse than they hurt me," Regina pointed out, her eyes lighting on Emma's injury again.

Regina was all but pressed up against the bars, and Emma wanted nothing more than to somehow have her closer. She grabbed the lapels of the jacket she'd put on the brunette and tugged her forward, capturing her lips in a desperate kiss that Regina returned full-force. They had no idea what might come next, but at least for now they were together.

* * *

Snow White scanned over the list of political prisoners as she did every week. It irritated her advisors to no end. She pardoned far too many, keeping only those who had committed the worst crimes or could be used to get her own men back from the Red Kingdom. She wouldn't sign off on the death penalty, and many were starting to think she was going soft.

She knew what they were saying about her, and she knew that it was true.

Snow ruled the kingdom alone for several years after her father's death, and although she was young, she was fair and held her own in negotiations with King George and King Midas. She'd proven herself a strong wartime queen when her marriage sparked a conflict between the kingdoms. She'd gone to battle herself, commanding the troops beside her husband.

With her husband and child at stake, she'd been a formidable opponent.

But now, she was weary of Charming's never-ending attacks. She didn't ride into battle, and she left all military decisions to commanders she rarely even talked to.

She didn't want this war, so Charming was winning it. With no threat of real punishment for treason, more and more of her people were defecting. Eighteen years was too long to force the kingdoms to act out a fight between husband and wife, and they were tired of it and tired of Snow.

But Charming rejected every peace envoy, so the fight wore on.

Snow seldom left her bedchambers these days. She was more than 40 now, so there would never be another child. Charming vowed that he would never forgive her, yet she couldn't imagine opening her heart to another man. She would live out her days alone, and the war would die with her.

All she had was the tiny glimmer of hope that sparked when she reached one of the last entries on the list of prisoners: _Two young women found in Western Forest. No identification and strange garb. "Regina" sentenced to 3 months imprisonment for trespassing on the Queen's lands and spying. "Emma" sentenced to death for trespassing on the Queen's lands, spying, impersonating a royal, and treason (impersonating the Princess)._

She rose to her feet at that, gaping at the page. Her advisors didn't even look up. "Your Majesty, none of these imposters has ever been the true Princess."

Snow didn't acknowledge the comment, instead sending orders for the execution to be stayed. For the first time in months, she called for maids to dress her for riding. The Queen was going out.


End file.
